Yes, that cover image was supposed to get your attention. The Cleveland Browns lost their Week 5 game overseas to the Minnesota Vikings, and as a result have emerged as clear sellers at the NFL trade deadline if they weren't already. The deadline isn't until early November, but it is the job of rival front offices to consider every possible outcome, and pinpoint players on bad teams (which the Browns are at this point in their rebuild) who could help put them over the top.
The Browns will not trade anyone imperative to their future plans. Dillon Gabriel played well enough to start for the foreseeable future, even though the Browns gameplan was conservative to a fault. Myles Garrett, signed to a long-term contract this past offseason, will play in Cleveland for the foreseeable future despite a trade request at last year's Super Bowl. We all know this.
That being said, the Browns have some interesting trade chips for the first time in awhile. If Cleveland is indeed committed to a rebuild without Deshaun Watson long term, they can take some serious steps forward at the deadline.
4. Is David Njoku on the trade block?
At his best, David Njoku can be one of the better receiving tight ends in football. What he lacks as a blocker, he can more than make up for in separation when matched up with linebackers and safeties. Njoku isn't exactly a necessity on this Browns team despite rolling with Gabriel moving forward, if only because they have another tight end in Harold Fannin Jr., who has received more targets through four games.
Gabriel threw a touchdown to Fannin Jr. – the first of his career – on Sunday. The duo already have a connection they can build upon. Meanwhile, Njoku is signed through the 2026 season with an out shortly thereafter.
If I had to pick a team to acquire Njoku, it would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which rank among the lowest in tight end targets so far this season. Tampa Bay are the favorites in the NFC South and a dark horse Super Bowl pick. Njoku wouldn't dramatically increase their chances, but he would help considering Mike Evans is out for the time being.
David Njoku landing spot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. The Browns don't need Greg Newsome
Greg Newsome II is in the final year of his contract. While he has some flaws in his coverage game, Newsome has proven a capable member of this Browns defense. Cleveland has a surplus in the secondary thanks to their recent draft habits, and they could always replace him next April should they so choose.
SportDFW projected Newsome to land a couple of draft picks in a trade to the Dallas Cowboys, which seems about right considering Jerry Jones' team has money to spend after dealing Micah Parsons to the Packers before the season.
Newsome's flexibility would make for an attractive fit in Matt Eberflus' defense, which has struggled to accommodate on the back end without Parsons pass rushing skillset.
Greg Newsome landing spot: Dallas Cowboys
2. Denzel Ward could net a big return for the Browns
The Browns have an out in Denzel Ward's contract after the 2026 season, but until then he is signed to a five-year, $100 million extension. That out would cost Cleveland over $29 million in dead cap, so if they are able to get out of his deal, they should take the bait. The Browns need all the capital and cap space they can get to build a winner given Watson's deal is one of the worst in professional football.
Ward is a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the best cover corners in the NFL at his best. He's also entering his late-20's, which is the perfect time for the Browns to trade him. Cornerbacks tend to fall off after age 30, but Ward is still productive enough to make an impact on a contender right now.
The early consensus is that Ward makes a ton of sense for the Seattle Seahawks and a defensive-minded head coach like Mike Macdonald. Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated predicted such a move, suggesting the Browns could get a Day 2 pick in return for Ward.
"With Ward in Seattle, it would allow coach Mike Macdonald to move around Devon Witherspoon between inside and outside cornerback positions. The 28-year-old Ward is a four-time Pro Bowler with 18 career interceptions,” Manzano wrote.
If Seattle is serious about winning the crowded NFC West in Year 2 of the Macdonald era, acquiring Ward would be a step in the right direction.
Denzel Ward landing spot: Seattle Seahawks
1. Either Joe Flacco or Shedeur Sanders has to go
For what it's worth, my money is on a Flacco trade. The Browns have a lot invested in Gabriel, who performed fairly well on Sunday given what was asked of him in an international setting. I don't know if Kevin Stefanski has seen enough of Gabriel to consider him the starter for the rest of the season, but it's tough to see a path back for Flacco, who was already benched in favor of a young quarterback. The Browns are all-in on this rebuild, and that means finding their QB of the future.
What has surprised me is how far ahead the Browns think Gabriel is than Sanders. Shedeur, at one point last offseason, was floated as the first quarterback of the board come last April. That obviously didn't come to fruition thanks in part to Sanders himself. Yet, even after the Browns benched Flacco, they kept Sanders as the third-string QB behind him. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement of the Colorado product.
The Browns would be wise to take calls on both. Sanders was a Day 3 pick, after all, and if for some reason they're able to get a pick in return higher than the fifth-round selection they took him with, it's worth a swing. Heck, it's probably best for Sanders' career if he can find a way out of Cleveland. The Browns don't value him.
There are plenty of QB-needy teams that could use a quarterback like Flacco right now. Look no further than the Minnesota Vikings, which ought to have serious questions about Carson Wentz after this week's performance. Flacco is a proven commodity who would fit right in.
Sanders is a tougher sell, and would likely benefit from sitting behind a veteran in a strong offensive system for a year or two. Shedeur initially didn't want to play for the Eagles or Ravens because he desired a clear path to the starting job. If his mentality has changed, a team like Philly could use another young QB to develop as a long-term backup.